Isabella Cavalletti is the star Hoya entrepreneur tapping into sustainable fashion

A senior from Italy, Isabella Cavalletti (COL’16), majoring in Government and minoring in History and Philosophy, recently launched the sustainable fashion brand, Elefante & Boa.

Scouting fabrics around the world and using them in innovative designs that are sold on her site, she encapsulates the artisanal and the modern in a single handbag. Here’s an interview with the designer and Tab writer herself.

When did you create E&B?

About a year and a half ago.

What inspired you?

The sustainable fashion movement, beautiful ethnic fabrics around the world that aren’t easily accessible, as well as the easiness of online shopping and the idea of changing the flaps around — as this hadn’t been done before.

Are you a solo entrepreneur?

I have a sponsor, but we’re hoping to break even this year and eventually return the investment.

How are your bags are relevant today?

They’re part of a larger movement of producing sustainable fashion with a socially conscious aspect, seeing as we empower indigenous women from Thailand, Vietnam and Guatemala through a microfinance project, whilst keeping the production 100 percent eco-friendly.

What is your target market?

Myself. I’ve always liked colorful patterns and I thought of the idea of changing flaps around would be convenient, cost-effective and fun for girls my age. The handbags are a practical size, they are customizable (you can change the flap and the chain) and they are suitable for any event.

What was your biggest challenge?

I wanted the quality to remain high, choosing small Italian artisans in Milan and having the hand-woven fabrics sent from around the world. This was difficult because it meant that we had to coordinate different productions, the local Italian materials, the ethnic ones, and then the Italian manufacturing.

What is your work motto?

Keep a seven-year-old’s imagination.

Who are your competitors?

I would say it’s a pretty niche market due to the relatively low cost in comparison to other brands made in Italy, however probably new ethnic handbags such as Wayuu Mochilas.

How are you exploiting social media?

Social media is definitely a great way to start branding with a small budget, particularly Instagram as it’s a marketing dream – hashtags are very useful in attracting people interested in your brand. I will also approach some fashion bloggers this summer to expand my reach.

What does the name Elefante & Boa signify?

The company rests on three dimensions: sustainability, practicality, and creativity. The name derives from the children’s book The Little Prince where he asks adults to describe what they see and all they see is a hat, whereas kids see an elephant eaten by a boa. I think the company embodies this analogy very well because every handbag is unique and you can keep changing the flaps as your imagination deems fit. They are unique because once a collection is sold out we plan on discontinuing it, and the hand-woven ethnic textiles are prone to human error—making each one slightly different from the other. I thought that in our generation’s fast fashion culture it is easy to become unoriginal and assimilate into one fashion trend that nowadays spreads quickly via social media. Elefante & Boa seeks to dispel this homogenous culture by merging originality with innovation.

What are your future goals?

Expanding the company by creating different flap collections using a range of materials, and adding new options in terms of handbag bases and straps.

Any advice to rising entrepreneurs?

Stay on top of things because you are not people’s priority and so you should constantly follow up with the people you’re working with.

You can follow Isabella’s journey on the Elefante & Boa Facebook page.